House Democrats fractured Wednesday again as 33 members joined Republicans to restrict federal funding for colleges participating in anti-Israel boycotts.
The House passed H.R. 4795, the Protect Economic and Academic Freedom Act of 2026, by a decisive 237-169 vote.
Thirty-three Democrats supported the measure, while 167 Democrats joined two Republicans in opposition to the legislation.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries voted against it, putting him opposite dozens of Democrats willing to confront anti-Israel campus boycotts.
Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi and senior Democrat James Clyburn also opposed the bill, underscoring the party’s increasingly visible Israel divide.
Republicans Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Warren Davidson of Ohio were the only GOP lawmakers voting against the measure.
North Carolina Republican Virginia Foxx sponsored the legislation, while New Jersey Democrat Josh Gottheimer joined as its Democratic co-sponsor.
The bill would amend higher-education law by attaching major federal-funding consequences to certain institutional commercial boycotts targeting Israel.
Progressive Democrats responded furiously, arguing the bill improperly converts political disagreement with Israel into grounds for losing federal educational support.
New York Democrat Jerry Nadler said he opposes BDS but believes its supporters retain constitutional protections for political advocacy.
Michigan Democrat Rashida Tlaib delivered an even harsher denunciation, accusing lawmakers of suppressing pro-Palestinian activism and defending Israeli policies.
“This is an attack on free speech and academic freedom,” Tlaib declared during debate before the final vote.
She described Israel as a “genocidal apartheid state,” reflecting the increasingly hostile rhetoric surrounding Israel within progressive Democratic politics.
Supporters rejected that framing, saying the legislation targets institutional commercial discrimination rather than students protesting or expressing political opinions.
This comes as House Speaker Mike Johnson shared a major update this week as November’s midterm elections approach.
During a Tuesday interview on CNBC, Johnson answered a range of questions about President Donald Trump convening AI leaders, striking a responsible balance between AI progress and everyday Americans’ concerns, and Republicans defying history in the midterms.
“That’s their phrase, that’s what they’ve come up with. But even the people who were in the Gang of Eight briefing, the Democrats understood the necessity of doing this,” Johnson began.
“Now, this is a political argument they’re making. But let’s put all that debate aside because they’re never going to agree with us, they can’t, at least publicly. Okay. But here’s the thing,” he added.
“The economy, all the economic conditions are in place. As Scott Bessent said at the end of last year, 2025 is like setting the table. The feast and the banquet will be in the economy in 2026. And just as we predicted, as we calibrated with the Big, Beautiful Bill and all of our policies, the biggest tax cut in U.S. history for working families, the biggest spending cut in U.S. history, 1.6 trillion in the Big Beautiful Bill,” Johnson argued.
“We have the lowest violent crime rate in 126 years, the biggest decline in prescription drugs in 60 years. You’ve got the most secure border in a half century. Not a single illegal alien released into the country in 16 straight months. And the small business incentives that we put in, the pro-growth policies we put into all the legislation, all that was working just as expected,” he said.
“First quarter, economy begins to take off. Go roll the tape. We were all talking about it. And then the Iran conflict began. Now, we had to do it. The president’s convinced of that. We are. The world is a safer place because it was done. But let’s put that aside and talk about what’s going forward,” he said.
“In this election cycle, in 35 days, do you want to put Democrats back in charge who gave you $5 gasoline, who the Democrats said, Joe Biden himself and all of them, they want to end fossil fuels. Is that going to return those policies? Is that going to bring gas prices down? Of course not,” he said.
Johnson explained, “They want to reopen the borders. We closed the borders. I mean, this is law and order. This is common sense versus crazy. That’s what’s on the ballot in 35 days. You have to keep the team in charge. That is putting the conditions in place for the economy to do better for everybody.”
Johnson then issued a chilling warning about what will happen if Democrats retake the U.S. House and/or Senate.
“Let me tell you the nightmare scenario. It’s not going to happen because I’m very bullish on the midterms. I am convinced my team, the Republicans, are going to keep the majority in the House and the Senate. I think we’re going to grow it,” Johnson said.
“We’re going to go to 40 districts across 22 states. This will come down to the outcome of about 22 districts around the country, and I believe we can win those,” he said.
“But let’s play it out. The nightmare scenario, heaven forbid, the Democrats take control of the House. They will turn every committee of Congress into an investigative body. They will do nothing all day, every day, every hour of the day, but go after the president, his family, his cabinet, you know, donors in the party, big figures in business and industry,” Johnson argued.
“If you’re caring about your pocketbook, your family stability, you know, the stability of the markets, you have to keep Republicans in charge. Because if the Democrats do that, they go to lawfare on steroids,” Johnson said.
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“It will roil the markets. It will empower our enemies around the world at the worst possible time. They will be playing dangerous political games for their own benefit at the expense of the American people. This is common sense versus crazy,” he explained.
“The DSA has told us what they’re all about. By the way, the insurgent left is consuming the Democrat Party. There will be no blue dog Democrats, no free market Democrats left after this cycle. We will not be having arguments and debates about traditional issues, you know, marginal tax rates and and inflation and foreign policy,” the Speaker declared.
“This will be a battle between whether or not we’re going to keep the republic or we’re going to break this thing down and go down this dark, dangerous road to Marxism. That is the energy, the excitement. The grassroots on the left is taking over the party. So that’s what’s at stake, common sense versus crazy. The Democratic socialists of America will drive the policy,” Johnson concluded.
This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
